Active galaxies: Assembling the cloudy jigsaw

Important problems and areas of progress in the study of AGNs are discussed. Efforts to understand the physical condition of the ionized gas in AGNs and the nature of the Fe II permitted ion emission are described. Progress made in understanding the continuum radiation from the central object in AGNs is considered. The recognition that activity in galactic nuclei is widespread is addressed. The debate on the nature of the so-called Type II Seyferts is reviewed.